J. Wetherill Hutton was a leading Friend of the early 20th century who served as Principal of the Boarding School and Clerk of the Meeting for Sufferings and Stillwater QM. His full name was John Wetherill Hutton.
JWH He was a son of Richard W. & Elizabeth (Thompson) Hutton and was born near Landenberg, Pa. In his early years, he was a member of Kennett MM at Parkersville in southeastern Chester County. He was a third cousin twice removed of the Philadelphia architect Addison Hutton. JWH attended Westtown School (graduated 1883) and earned a BS and an MA from Haverford College.
Hutton became a teacher in the 1890s. He taught at Olney from 1892-1898. In the fall of the latter year, Hutton went on a voyage to Europe. He worked for the Biddle Press in Philadelphia for a year but realized his calling was to be a teacher, so he returned to Westtown. In the summer of 1908, Hutton worked at the Tunesassa School in New York State.
In the fall of 1908, Hutton returned to Olney and worked there until his retirement. He was appointed Principal in 1911 and held that post until his retirement in 1935.
JWH was a leading member of Ohio YM. Although never recognized, contemporaries reported that JWH had a sustained gift in prayer. He served as Clerk of Stillwater QM and as Clerk of the Meeting for Sufferings. Hutton was active in peace work of the YM during his term as M4S Clerk.
Sources: EAQG 4:412-413, 826; C. Osborne Hutton, Descendants of the Quaker Huttons of Pennsylvania (1965), an unnumbered page about 2/3 of the way through (JWH's number is 7:16); William Bacon Evans biography, Haverford College. |
